Vel T5 SL Alloy Cage

I don't ask much of my bottle cages, only that they let me get my bottle in and out without any fuss; and that they hold on securely to the bottle whilst I ride. Provided it's not actually fashioned from a ship's anchor, the weight is not a primary concern. The Vel T5 SL Cage passes the test.

Given this is all these accessories need to do, it's surprising how many fail. You may have a bottle cage that saves you 20g, but that's not going to get you to the finish line any quicker, especially if you see your bottle bouncing down the tarmac as soon as you hit the first pothole.

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If you are the kind of rider for whom the weight of your bottle cage means the difference between success and failure, well good luck at this year's Giro. Otherwise, you could leave out two sips of water from your bottle and save the same weight.

The Vel is stamped and formed from polished aluminium and I would imagine it would look best on a raw titanium or aluminium frame, or perhaps on your old school steel singlespeed (what do you mean, you haven't got an old school steel singlespeed? Get outta here...). It also comes in black.

The look is unusual, not altogether my taste, but performance was good. I used it in conjunction with a number of different shapes of bottles and rattled over some rough tracks and trails and it held on firmly to my precious fluids.

The grip is not so firm, however, that you struggle to get your bottle out when you need it, nor was it difficult to locate when putting the bottle back while keeping eyes forward.

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I'm not sure why Vel was so anxious to produce a bottle cage 'without the use of carbon', especially as there are thousands already out there, but it's done what it set out to do. If you like the looks, then go for it.

Verdict

A simple, secure bottle cage that will find some fans and won't offend the weight-conscious